HOOKED: ILLEGAL DRUGS & HOW THEY GOT THAT WAY: EPISODE FOUR

LSD, ECSTASY & THE RAVES PART 2 OF 3

There has been a "drug culture" since the dawn of civilization. Sumerian cuneiform tablets from 3000 BC show a poppy harvest, as do ancient Egyptian scripts and Greek statues adorned with poppy crowns. Far more recently, Freud sung the praises of cocaine, which was included in the original recipe for Coca-Cola. But since the industrial revolution, drug use has changed dramatically, and society's response to this--particularly in America--has been to demonize users and make drugs illegal.

Pharmacologists, scientists, and other experts discuss how mind-altering drugs have been used for thousands of years during this two-part History Channel program. Viewers will learn about 3000 B.C. poppy harvests, Dr. Sigmund Freud's interest in cocaine, and how controlled substances are used medicinally. Segments also focus on America's "War on Drugs" and shifting public attitudes toward illegal drug use. Volume two looks at how cocaine and other drugs were once included in popular consumer products and how people continue to search for new "highs." The large warehouse party phenomena known as "raves" are noted, along with the widespread usage of Ecstasy and other drugs at such events.